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Lifeboat Review

PROS

Plenty of varied audio to keep you entertained as you drown, clobber or feed your passengers to the sharks.

CONS

Limited gameplay variety.

Quick-play is likely to be as enjoyable as the Campaign mode.

VERDICT

Lifeboat just passes muster when it comes to the arcade gameplay, but you can't help but feel you're missing something. There's a lot of challenge here for those top-score achievers out there, but for everyone else it's a fun time-waster that showcases some of the iPhones gaming features.

Full Review

App Store Info

If someone asked you to balance a dinner plate on your hand; then placed a bunch of marbles that have their own individual take on the concept of gravity on the plate; then they asked you to kindly manage to balance the plate in just the right way to cause them to fall in to pockets on the side of the plate; you'd have a fair idea of what to expect with Lifeboat by Fuel Games.

As the captain of the boat it's your duty to roll the ship's deck around to assist your oddly rotund set of passengers in to the tiny life-boats that surround the ship briefly before departing. It's hard to tell if the developers intended the controls to be so odd, but half of the amusement in the game does come from trying to deposit only a handful of the passengers only to tip half of them in to the cold-unforgiving ocean.

There's a surprising amount of detail in the audio for this game, though the 3D graphics don't share the same polish. The use of video and 2D graphics are extremely high quality, which makes the 3D seem so much worse. Passengers are hard to distinguish from the clutter on the deck of the boat and once they're in the water it's extremely difficult to tell if they can be saved or are drowning. Upgrades available each level can help, but it's a token gesture to an otherwise odd style of design aesthetic.

If you're looking for an arcade style challenge, you'll be getting a genuinely difficult one here. The more you play, the easier it gets (thanks to upgrades), but it's highly unlikely you'll be rescuing people with accuracy for a long time. A fun time-waster, but there are better on offer.

Description

Ahoy there ya Swabs! Get ready for a spine tingling adventure on the high seas that will have you swimming with the sharks.

Captain Rickety’s ship the S.S. Anchor has set sail into some of the most treacherous waters known to man and his ship is not up to the task. It’s up to you to save the passengers as they topple overboard and into briny water. But don’t you worry; there are lifeboats at your disposal. Try and rescue those poor souls before they drown and keep the ship afloat for as long as you can! You’ll have to be quick though, or all hands on board will meet their demise in the foul depths of the cold dark sea.

Featuring accelerometer and touch-driven casual gameplay, along with a humorous sound track and incredible visuals, Lifeboat will keep you entertained for hours on end.

v1.1 improves the controls, adds the ability to stun the shark or crocodile, and allows you to post your score to Facebook or Twitter.

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"So seeing a facetious casual game based on saving people from doomed ships is creative and, quite frankly, long overdue." - SlideToPlay

"Fire it up and you're presented with a cartoony 3-D boat in the middle of the ocean, doomed to sink and loaded with passengers who need to escape -- a great concept for any game, let alone a bargain-priced one." - iLounge

"Fuel Games' Lifeboat for the iPhone turns disaster at sea into a delightful diversion" - Examiner.com

What's New in Version 1.1

* Greatly increased boat responsiveness on all levels, especially at the beginning
* Locked boat upgrades to 5th level for quick play, regardless of campaign progression
* Added Goal Achieved status notification when in a campaign round
* Added ability to stun Shark or Crocodile by tapping on them
* Added Twitter and Facebook support, now you can post your scores directly to Twitter or your Facebook status!
* Made it easier to tap on passengers in the water
* Resolved several crash bugs